Seared Beef Tongue & Squash Mash
October 22, 2026 • 0 comments
Tongue sounds intimidating, but everyone I’ve served it to loves it once they’ve tasted it. After a long, slow simmer it turns incredibly tender, then gets a hard sear for a crispy, caramelized crust. It sits on a silky kabocha mash whipped with butter, cream, and roasted bone marrow, with more warm marrow spooned over the top. It’s rich, beefy, and a showstopper for the holiday table. Bonus: tongue is packed with B12, iron, and zinc.
- Prep Time:
- Cook Time:
- Servings: 4-6
Ingredients
- (1 whole) Beef Tongue
- (6 quarts) Water
- Salt, for the water and for seasoning
- (1 small) Kabocha squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed
- (2-3 bones, for about 2 oz roasted marrow) Canoed Beef Marrow Bones
- (1 Tbsp) Raw Unsalted Butter for Cats & Dogs, 12 OZ
- (1 Tbsp) Raw Heavy Cream for Cats & Dogs, 1 Pint
- (1 tsp, plus more to taste) Salt
- (if searing in a skillet) Beef Tallow, 1 Quart
Directions
Cook the tongue
- Bring the water to a boil in a large pot and add a generous amount of salt.
- Carefully add the tongue, cover, and reduce to a simmer for 4-5 hours.
- Check the water level every hour and top it off as it evaporates.
- The tongue is done when a knife slides into the thickest part with little resistance.
- Remove the tongue and discard the water. Let it cool 20-30 minutes.
- Peel off the skin, using a small knife for stubborn bits. Discard the skin.
- Slice the tongue into ¼" slices and salt both sides well.
- Sear on a grill heated to about 500°F (or in a tallow-coated skillet), flipping frequently, until you have a crust you like. The tongue is already cooked, so you’re only building flavor.
Roast the bone marrow
- Preheat the oven to 450°F.
- Place the marrow bones cut side up on a rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle with salt.
- Roast 15-20 minutes, until the marrow is soft, bubbling, and lightly golden.
- Let the bones cool 10 minutes, then scoop the marrow out with a small spoon. Set aside 1 oz for the mash and 1 oz for serving.
*Tip: Start the bones when you put the kabocha on to boil so everything finishes together.
Make the squash mash
- Boil the kabocha in a large pot until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain.
- Mash with a potato masher or electric mixer on medium. Add 1 oz roasted marrow, the butter, cream, and 1 tsp salt, and mash until smooth.
Serve
Spoon the squash mash onto plates, lay the seared tongue on top, add a pinch of salt, and spoon the remaining 1 oz warm marrow over the top.
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*Recipe created by Animal Based Bae.
